Use of agents and control documents to update a database structure

Abstract

A method and system for updating a database structure. The database structure includes a dynamically changing list of control documents. A control document specifies tasks to be performed on the database structure. An agent finds an approved control document on the list such as by looking into a view of control documents. Processing the approved control document includes causing an execution of at least one task on the approved control document. Execution of a such task includes updating of the database structure, and may be implemented by the agent that found the control document or by another agent called by the agent.

1. A method for updating a database structure, comprising:
 generating a view of the database structure, said view of the database structure being a table that is not a table of the database structure, said view identifying a plurality of control documents, each control document of the plurality of control documents comprising a list of tasks to be performed by at least one agent assigned to said each control document; 
 processing by a first agent a first control document of the plurality of control documents in the view, wherein processing the first control document includes causing executing at least one task on the first control document, wherein the first control document has an Approved status denoting that said first control document has been approved for having the at least one task on the first control document carried out, and wherein executing a task on the first control document includes updating the database structure. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accessing the view by the first agent prior to processing the first control document. 
 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein executing a first task of the at least one task on the first control document includes executing the first task by the first agent. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein executing a first task of the at least one task on the first control document includes directly calling a second agent by the first agent and executing the first task by the second agent. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein executing a first task of the at least one task on the first control document includes indirectly calling a second agent by the first agent and executing the first task by the second agent. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing by a second agent a second control document of the plurality of control documents in the view, wherein processing the second control document includes causing executing at least one task on the second control document, wherein the second control document has said Approved status denoting that said second control document has been approved for having the at least one task on the second control document carried out, and wherein executing a task on the second control document includes updating the database structure. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein executing a first task of the at least one task on the first control document includes updating a plurality of databases of the database structure. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein executing a first task of the at least one task on the first control document includes updating a first database of the database structure, and wherein executing a second task of the at least one task on the first control document includes updating a second database of the database structure. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first task and a second task of the at least one task on the first control document are not independent. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein executing a first task of the at least one task on the first control document includes replacing a name of a first person with a name of a second person in a pluralitu of databases of the data base structure. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second control document of the plurality of control has a Disapproved status denoting that the tasks on the list of tasks comprised by the second control document cannot be carried out. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second control document of the plurality of control has a Draft status denoting that the tasks on the list of tasks comprised by the second control document have been created but have not yet been approved for being carried out. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second control document of the plurality of control has a Processed status denoting that the tasks on the list of tasks comprised by the second control document have been carried out.